Scottish Executive

Caledonian MacBrayne

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what process and codes were followed and which individuals were involved in the re-appointment of Harold Mills as Chairman of Caledonian MacBrayne.

Lewis Macdonald: The reappointment was carried out in line with the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ Code of Practice. It was made by ministers on the basis of a performance assessment prepared by officials in the Scottish Executive Development Department, the department sponsoring Caledonian MacBrayne Limited.

Community Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it (a) can take and (b) will take in situations where a local authority does not provide appropriate and adequate care and support as recommended in an individual’s care plan.

Mr Frank McAveety: Local authorities have a statutory obligation to provide community care services to those people in their areas who appear to need them. Should local authorities fail to provide such services, they will ultimately be accountable to the courts.

  We are continuing to provide authorities with the resources, direction and support to meet their statutory obligations with regard to community care.

Community Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action carers can take in situations were councils do not provide the care, treatment and support recommended in care plans.

Mr Frank McAveety: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27425. I would add that service-users, or carers acting on their behalf, can challenge service provision decisions taken by a local authority using the authority’s complaints procedure. This could involve taking the complaint to the council’s Complaints Review Committee, the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman or ultimately through the courts.

Community Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in regard to self-funding clients in care homes paying higher fees than local authority funded clients for the same level of care

Mr Frank McAveety: Neither the Scottish Executive nor the Care Commission can intervene in a private contractual arrangement between a self-funding client and a care home provider.

Digital Technology

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what effect the reduction in the share price of Omne Communications Ltd will have on the roll-out of the broadband strategy; whether any changes to the strategy are planned, and whether there will be any variation to the timescale and delivery of the strategy.

Iain Gray: Omne Communications Ltd's share price has no impact on the Executive's broadband strategy.

Digital Technology

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what national strategy it or anybody accountable to it or acting on its behalf has for rolling out broadband over the next (a) two, (b) five and (c) 10 years, other than project ATLAS.

Iain Gray: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27021 on 22 July 2002.

Digital Technology

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its strategy is towards local loop unbundling (LLU) and what information it has on the number of telephone exchanges where LLU has taken place up to the present date and the number of exchanges where it expects LLU to take place over the next two years.

Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive has no functions in relation to Telecoms regulation. OFTEL monitors the delivery of unbundling facilities throughout the UK on an on-going basis and information on LLU can be accessed on their website.

Equal Pay

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has carried out a pay systems review to establish whether there is any gender pay gap in line with the Equal Opportunities Commission’s Code of Practice on Equal Pay.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27237 on 29 July 2002.

Europe

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25090 by Mr Jim Wallace on 30 April 2002, in respect of each working group attended by its officials in the year to 28 February 2002, what percentage of that group's meetings they attended.

Mr Jim Wallace: We have tried to calculate the percentage of each type of meeting that has been attended by our officials, but this has not been possible due to discrepancies between the information sought and the way in which the EU Council Secretariat calculates the periods covered and defines working groups.

Ferry Services

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support Argyll and Bute Council in its efforts to provide a regular and sustainable ferry service between Islay and Jura.

Lewis Macdonald: This service is the responsibility of Argyll and Bute Council. However, Scottish Executive officials have met their counterparts at the council to discuss possible ways in which the service might be improved. I understand that these discussions will be reflected in a bid that the council plans to submit for support under the Executive’s Public Transport Fund.

Ferry Services

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date it intends to reply to the application by Argyll and Bute Council to the Public Transport Fund for money to upgrade the Islay to Jura ferry service.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has not yet received an application from Argyll and Bute Council for this project. Bids for this year’s Public Transport Fund round are due in by 12 August 2002 and I expect to announce successful bids by the end of October.

Film Industry

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to offer production incentives in the form of tax based funding, such as equity investment or production credit grants, to Scottish and international film and TV producers in order to encourage a sustainable production industry in Scotland.

Mike Watson: We have no plans to do so. Tax is a reserved matter. Tax reliefs are available on the production of British films made in Scotland or elsewhere in the UK.

Health Education Board for Scotland

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the Health Education Board for Scotland located the production of its health awareness advertisement "Club Smoking" in Eastern Europe.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The Health Education Board for Scotland (HEBS) must ensure value for money when delivering health awareness campaigns. HEBS use The Bridge advertising agency which always seeks tenders from Scottish production companies and directors. The recent "Club Smoking" advertisement was subject to open tender. The successful tender, which based production of the advertisement in Eastern Europe, led to substantial savings over the other bids received.

Health Education Board for Scotland

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the decision by the Health Board for Scotland to locate the production of its most recent health awareness advertisement in Eastern Europe was based on consultations with Scottish Screen.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Scottish Screen was not consulted on this matter. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27435 today.

Housing

Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any estimate has been made of the number of homeowners who have responsibility for common footpaths and ground associated with their properties.

Ms Margaret Curran: No information on the number of homeowners in Scotland with the responsibilities described is held centrally. We are not aware of an estimate of that number having been made.

Housing

Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Housing Improvement Taskforce is considering the issues associated with the maintenance and upkeep of paths, roads and associated ground held in common with private owners, such as that associated with the Heatheryfold West owners in homes formerly owned by Scottish Homes.

Ms Margaret Curran: The task force is considering all aspects of common and shared maintenance obligations for homeowners, with the primary concern of ensuring that home buyers are properly informed of their obligations when they purchase and that effective common management arrangements are in place to ensure that necessary work is carried out.

NHS Waiting Times

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the mean waiting time is for anaphylaxis and allergy services, broken down by NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: Anaphylaxis is primarily treated as an emergency. Most treatments for allergies will take place in an out-patient clinic. Centrally available information does not identify cases where treatment starts in an out-patient setting.

  Information on the time between a patient being placed on the waiting list for in-patient or day case treatment for anaphylaxis or allergies and their admission to hospital is available. The mean waiting time for anaphylaxis or allergy in-patient and day case treatment by NHS board of residence in the year ending 31 December 2001 is provided in the following table:

  NHSScotland: Mean Waiting Times for Hospital Admission from the In-patient and Day Case Waiting List for Anaphylaxis and Allergy in Year Ending 31 December 2001P: by NHS Board of Residence

  


NHS Board 
  

Mean Wait 
  



Argyll and Clyde 
  

30 days 
  



Ayrshire and Arran 
  

28 days 
  



Borders1


- 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

62 days 
  



Fife 
  

29 days 
  



Forth Valley 
  

30 days 
  



Grampian 
  

49 days 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

28 days 
  



Highland 
  

24 days 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

21 days 
  



Lothian 
  

17 days 
  



Orkney 
  

- 
  



Shetland1


- 
  



Tayside 
  

113 days 
  



Western Isles1


- 
  



Scotland 
  

32 days 
  



  Source: SMR01 ISD, Scotland.

  PProvisional.

  Notes:

  1. Not shown due to small numbers.

NHS Waiting Times

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any anaphylaxis and allergy services have closed or deferred waiting lists and, if so, which services are affected.

Malcolm Chisholm: There are no closed waiting lists. Only patients awaiting in-patient/day case treatment can be placed on a deferred waiting list. Anaphylaxis is primarily treated as an emergency, and allergy services are mostly provided on an out-patient basis.

National Galleries of Scotland

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the National Galleries of Scotland in regard to the present dispute over staff salaries.

Mike Watson: The Trustees of the National Galleries of Scotland are responsible for developing pay proposals that meet guidance on public sector pay and are affordable. National Galleries of Scotland has reviewed its pay systems, a Pay Remit for the organisation has been agreed by Scottish Ministers and, following negotiation between National Galleries of Scotland and the trade unions, a three-year pay offer has been accepted by staff.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the Scottish Prison Service estates review, whether the private prisons envisaged will be allowed to take prisoners from other jurisdictions and, if so, from which jurisdictions and under what circumstances.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Yes. As is presently the case with HMP Kilmarnock, any new private prisons would be able to take prisoners from other jurisdictions in the same circumstances as publicly operated prisons. Those circumstances are as follows:

  Under Schedule 1 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997, prisoners may be received in any Scottish prison from another UK jurisdiction for the purposes of maintaining family contact or to enable the prisoner to attend criminal proceedings in Scotland.

  Also, under the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons or a bilateral agreement based on that Convention, prisoners may be received in any Scottish prison from a foreign jurisdiction because they have been repatriated to the UK to serve the remainder of their sentence. The aims of the Convention and the bilateral agreements are entirely humanitarian - to enable prisoners to transfer to their home country to serve the remainder of their sentence. At present 48 countries are signatories to the Convention and the UK has agreements with a further 12 countries.

  Finally, prisoners may be received from other jurisdictions because they have been extradited either to stand trial or because they were unlawfully at large after conviction by a Scottish court. The United Kingdom has formal extradition relations with over 100 countries through two multilateral schemes – the European Convention on Extradition and the Commonwealth Scheme for the Rendition of Fugitive Offenders and a number of bilateral treaties.

Public Transport

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what public transport options it anticipates will serve the new Scottish Parliament and whether a new railway station at Abbeyhill will be one option under consideration.

Lewis Macdonald: Local transport projects within Edinburgh are a matter for the City of Edinburgh Council.

Rail Network

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what budget is available specifically for feasibility studies into the possibility of re-opening local railway stations or stretches of closed railway routes and which bodies can access such funding.

Lewis Macdonald: Local authorities, and in the case of the Strathclyde area, Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive, may apply for funding of feasibility studies for public transport improvements from the Public Transport Fund (PTF). Studies or projects supported by the PTF would have to satisfy eligibility criteria and compete with other bids. Details of the rules and guidelines can be found on the websites of both the Scottish Executive and Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Renewable Energy

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has taken any measures to promote current Energy Saving Trust grants for the installation of solar/photovoltaic units in (a) public sector housing, (b) private sector housing, (c) businesses, (d) schools and (e) hospitals.

Lewis Macdonald: The Energy Saving Trust (EST) secured the Department of Trade and Industry contract for this UK initiative in May and the Scottish Executive is currently in discussion with the EST about how best to promote the programme in Scotland. We anticipate a marketing campaign in the autumn, linked to our recently announced Scottish Community Renewables Initiative, which aims to encourage small community renewables projects using a range of technologies, including photovoltaic units.

Road Safety

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26635 by Lewis Macdonald on 25 June 2002, whether it will further improve safety measures to take account of recent accidents and the latest figures on traffic use of the Fenwick to Malletsheugh stretch prior to the completion of the scheduled upgrade of the A77.

Lewis Macdonald: Further to my previous answer, it has been agreed to take further action to highlight to drivers the dangers of excessive speed. Additional repeater speed restriction signs will be put in place, national speed limit signs will be replaced with 60 mph signs and mobile speed activated signs will be put in place at varying locations. Missing and damaged verge marker posts will be replaced. The police intend to increase enforcement activity including increased police patrols and the use of mobile speed cameras. "Police Speed Check" signs will also be erected advising drivers of the increased activity.

Roads

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26355 by Lewis Macdonald on 17 June 2002, what level of claims was made in cash terms in each of the last five years in respect of deficient road maintenance on trunk roads.

Lewis Macdonald: The level of claims made in cash terms in each year is as follows:

  


Year 
  

Level of Claims
(£000) 
  



1996-97 
  

92 
  



1997-98 
  

236 
  



1998-99 
  

93 
  



1999-2000 
  

136 
  



2000-01 
  

93 
  



  It should be noted that some claimants did not indicate the level of claim in cash terms and some compensation payments included in my answer to question S1W-26355 related to claims made prior to the year in which payment was made.

Roads

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of claims was made and how much was paid out in compensation payments in cash terms in each of the last five years in respect of deficient road maintenance on roads maintained by local authorities.

Lewis Macdonald: This is a matter for individual local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.

Scottish Executive Staff

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of its staff are involved in planning for possible future constitutional changes.

Patricia Ferguson: The Executive’s Constitutional Policy Unit works on a range of subjects, including issues relating to the operation of the Scotland Act and the devolution settlement.

Scottish Executive Staff

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff currently work in its Constitutional Policy Unit.

Patricia Ferguson: Seven members of staff currently work in the Executive’s Constitutional Policy Unit.

Sustainable Development

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how maximising the extraction of oil and gas reserves is compatible with sustainable development as referred to by the Deputy Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning in his announcement on 28 June 2002 on sustainable development.

Lewis Macdonald: Our commitment to sustainable development, set out in Meeting the Needs...Priorities, Actions and Targets for Sustainable Development in Scotland , acknowledges that the pursuit of economic growth has to be done in such a way that it does not harm the environment or squander the natural resources on which we depend. A sensible approach to the use of natural resources such as oil and gas dictates that we use them efficiently whilst developing alternatives to replace them in due course.

  Our approach to the extraction of oil and gas needs to be viewed along with other policies, such as our commitment to increase significantly Scotland’s renewable electricity generation to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

Tourism

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether hostel accommodation for backpackers in Scotland should meet essential minimum standards and, if so, what standards should be met giving full details, and whether the assessment of hostel accommodation in Scotland should be based on premises meeting such essential standards rather than in accordance with a grading scheme allocating them a number of stars from one to five.

Mike Watson: Standards for Hostel Accommodation for backpackers in Scotland are a matter for local authorities. VisitScotland runs a voluntary Quality Assurance scheme for hostel accommodation for backpackers, under which such establishments can choose whether or not to participate.

Town Criers

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the towns which have a town crier and whether Kilwinning and Linlithgow both have town criers.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is not held centrally.

Transport

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the misuse of disabled persons’ parking badges.

Lewis Macdonald: It is for local authorities, which are responsible for the administrative aspects of the Blue Badge scheme of parking concessions for disabled people, to monitor the levels of misuse of badges, within their areas.

  Given strong anecdotal evidence of misuse of badges, the Executive is promoting powers to give police officers, traffic wardens and local authority parking attendants the power to inspect badges and create an offence of refusing to produce a badge when requested to do so by these authorised persons. Guidance will be issued to local authorities and police, and all badge holders will be informed of the change in the system before the implementation of these powers later in the year.

Transport

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it made to the Disabled Person’s Transport Advisory Committee as part of the study into the operation of the blue badge scheme.

Lewis Macdonald: The UK-wide review of the Blue Badge Scheme is being taken forward by the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) on behalf of the Department for Transport, the Scottish Executive, the National Assembly for Wales and the Department for Regional Development (Northern Ireland).

  The scheme, however, is a devolved matter and the Executive will therefore be considering whether any changes to the scheme recommended on an UK-wide basis by DPTAC should be addressed in a distinctly Scottish way.